


Help From High and Unconventional Places

by katlunawhisper



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: 'love at first sight', Angst, Cervitaurs, Cute, Dragons, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-08-30 02:06:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8514499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katlunawhisper/pseuds/katlunawhisper
Summary: Dipper Pines is a cervitaur who has lived in a circus for as far as he can remember. Or at least as far as he let's himself remember. Bill Cipher is a dragon who live alone in a forest outside of the strange town of Gravity Falls. Both are used to being alone. What will happen when Bill meets Dipper and gets the chance to help him out?





	1. Enter Stage Right, Deer Boy

"Now presenting! The freak of nature known to shock this world! DEER BOY!!!” As I hear the audience cheer, I shakily step onto the stage, keeping my eyes to the ground as I walk closer to my tormentor and ‘owner’, Gideon Gleeful. Gideon grips my leash firmly and turns me to face the crowd, who all ooh and aww. I shrink slightly under their gaze, but quickly yelp as Gideon pulls me close to him, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I stumble slightly on my hooves, but use all my strength and will to keep standing; I remember what happened last time I ruined his shown and I never want to go through that ever again.

“Look at how tame he is!” Gideon yells. My ears lower at the loud noise and I look off to the side, catching sight of a hooded figure standing in the back of the show tent. I hesitantly meet a pair of slitted gold eyes before I’m pulled across the stage by Gideon’s helper, Ghost Eyes. I trip slightly, but quickly regain my footing as the crowd chuckles and laughs. My ears go down in embarrassment and I flush slightly. I’m led to a small ramp where Gideon makes me jump through an oversized hoop; the usual tricks. After the fifth jump, I wince as I land on my sore hooves and walk over to Gideon’s side. “The amazing Deer Boy!”

The crowd yells and cheers as I’m led back to the curtained part of the stage. Before I am pulled completely behind, I look up and meet the golden-eyed stranger’s gaze once more to see them full of anger and sympathy. I’m yanked off the stage by the rope around my neck and thrown in my cage. My breath is knocked from my lungs as I land on my side, wincing as I scrape across the ground. I flinch as the door is slammed shut and locked. I shakily sit on my hind legs as Ghost Eyes walks over to get the next “mysterious creature” for the show, but my attention is caught by the door to my cage.

 

It’s propped open.

 

My eyes widen and my chest fills with hope. I shakily stand and dart out the door. A startled yell comes from Ghost Eyes as I rush past him. Heart beating fast, I quickly look for a way out. I smile widely as I see an opening in the tent before running for it. I’m almost there when someone yanks on my rope. I choke as I fly backwards. Eyes wide in fear, I meet Ghost Eyes’s glowing white gaze as he glares at me.

“Where do you think you’re going?” He growls. I whimper and pull at my collar as he starts pulling me backwards. My eyes fill with tears as dread claws at my tightening throat. No, no, no! I was so close. Something glints in my peripheral vision and I look to the left; laying a little ways away is a small piece of metal. Sharp metal. I reach over and quickly grab it. Bringing it to my throat, I start sawing at the rope. Suddenly it snaps and, with a sharp gasp, Ghost Eyes falls backwards, dazed. I quickly scramble onto my feet and rush outside. The sun blinds me for a moment, but I keep running forwards. Suddenly, I bump into a tall figure, knocking us both to the ground. I look up and meet a familiar pair of gold eyes. I quickly grab the man’s wrist.

“Please,” I gasp desperately. “Please, help me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Help me remember tab=8 spaces  
> (My computer won't tab correctly *cries*)


	2. Circus Visit and Sympathy

I wake up with a yawn that cracks my jaw. Shaking my head back and forth, I stand on my four legs and stretch. I walk to the back of my cave and lean down to drink some water from a small lake. As I drink, I gaze at my reflection. Golden scales, black tipped horns, and large gold eyes are my most noticeable features from this view. I stand and stretch my wings out, admiring their black and gold scales. No ever said a dragon of my beauty should be modest.

I walk back to the front of my cave and look out into the forest surrounding my home. I breathe in deeply, catching the scent of a nearby deer. I wrinkle my nose in distaste. I never have liked the taste of deer, too gamey. I take another deep breath and smirk as I catch scent of another more appetizing animal. A turkey. It’s not very big, but it’s good enough for breakfast. I flap my wings and rise into the air. Flying upwards, I use my extremely accurate sense of sight to spot the turkey, or should I say a flock of turkeys. I lick my lips as my eyes shine with excitement. This should be fun.

I dive down quickly, mouth open as I scoop up at least three turkeys into my maw, chewing a little before swallowing them mostly whole. I laugh as I notice the rest of the flock is flapping around in a panic. Flying in the air once more, I debate whether or not to dive once more when another scent surrounds me. My eyes widen as I recognize the familiar scent of magic. Forgetting about the turkeys, I quickly fly back to my cave. Landing just outside of it, I begin to allow my magic to surround me and change my form.

I grow smaller and smaller. I feel my scales and wings meld into my skin, my horns growing smaller. Golden blonde hair sprouts from my head as I shift into my more human form. My eyes flutter open and I stretch my “new body”. I walk into my cave and head into a smaller room I keep my more human needs in. Throwing on a pair of pants, a shirt and a pair of shoes, I look into a slightly cracked mirror. I smile at my slitted gold eyes, showing off my sharp teeth. I grab the black hood hanging beside the mirror and tie it around my neck, throwing the hood over my head to conceal my golden and black horns.

This spell may be able to mostly change my form, but it can’t change me completely.

I walk out of the room and out of the cave, heading for the nearby town, gravity Falls. Once I arrive, I immediately notice a light blue tent set up near the town’s center. Curious, I go inside and am immediately bombarded by noise. I sneer in annoyance.

“And this strange creature is what I call a Multi-Bear!” A short, white-haired human yells to the crowd. Everyone oohs and awws while I only snort in amusement. Humans are so easily entertained. After the Multi-Bear is made to do some tricks, a larger man with pure white eyes hands a rope to the shorter male and leads the Multi-Bear off the stage.

“Now presenting!” the white-haired male shouts, “The freak of nature known to shock this world! DEER BOY!!!” The male yanks on the rope and another creature shakily steps onto the stage. My eyes widen in shock and awe. A cervitaur shakily walks over to the man, eyes downcast. His coat is a dirty brown with matching, greasy hair. He looks thin and undernourished. The white-haired human forces the poor creature to look into the crowd where I can finally see his face. The human throws an arm around the cervitaur’s shoulders, causing it to stumble. “Look at how tame he is!” I watch as the cervitaur’s ears go back at the loud noise before we suddenly make eye contact for a moment. I look into twin pool of a mocha galaxy, getting lost in the beauty of it before the cervitaur is forced to look away. The larger man with pure white eyes yanks the poor kid across the stage causing him to almost trip. I fume as the crowd around me laughs. After he is led across the stage to a hoop, he is forced to jump through it over and over again as the crowd around me cheers. Four or five jumps later the cervitaur walks back to the shorter man.

“The amazing Deer Boy!” The man yells. As cheers sound, the cervitaur is led off the stage. Before he is completely behind the curtain, he looks up and meets my eyes once more. Swirling in those dazzling orbs is a sadness, dulling the beautiful mocha. Once the cervitaur is yanked out of sight, I quickly turn and leave the tent, anger simmering in my heart. How dare those humans mistreat such a beautiful creature! I think of how thin the poor deer-hybrid was. I could count his ribs from the back row. I growl quietly, scaring away a young couple who were walking nearby. Those insolent, stupid humans think they’re so great - mistreating magical creatures like that. I should just-

I’m knocked from my thought as a slightly shorter form runs into me. We both fall to the ground and I look up, about to yell at whoever ran into me, but the words die in my throat as I meet teary and terrified brown eyes.

“Please,” the cervitaur gasps, gripping my wrist desperately, “Please, help me.” I blink in shock before I hear enraged yelling a little ways in front of me. I look up and see the larger man with white eyes from the circus running towards us, face red in anger. The cervitaur notices too and looks behind himself. He hunches in on himself with a whimper and my eyes harden in determination.

I quickly help the cervitaur up and start pulling him towards the forest.

“Come on,” I say, startling him, “I’ll help you hide from them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.....?  
> How you guys like it so far?  
> BTW posting will be random and basically as I write so...yeah.
> 
> COMMENTS AND KUDOS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME!!!


	3. Trusting a Stranger and Meeting a Beast

The golden-eyed man pulls me towards the forest and my mind races. Am I seriously going to trust this man? I hear Ghost Eyes yelling something from behind me and quicken my limping gallop. I guess I will; for now at least.

As I’m quickly led into the tree line, the man stops and my heart rate spikes.

“Why are we stopping?” I ask shakily. The man glances back at me, hesitance shining in his beautiful eyes. I blink at the thought. Beautiful? I look back into his pure gold eyes noticing the slitted pupils. The gold swirls in both light and dark shades, a dance of precious metal and sun beams. They really are beautiful.

“-got it?” the man says, snapping me out of my thought. I flush, ears lowering in embarrassment as I realize I spaced out.

“Could you repeat that?” I ask timidly. I flinch as the man sighs.

“Okay, you’re going to keep running straight and you’ll eventually run across a cave. Go into the cave and wait for me there. Whatever you do, don’t look back here or follow me no matter what you hear, got it?” the man explains again. I nod and the man smirks showing off sharp teeth. I feel myself pale a little. What is this man? “Go ahead and start running.” I turn and make my way straight, just as the man says. I continue running even as screams and shouts of pain fill the space behind me. Eventually, I make it to the cave and enter without hesitance. I slow my gallop as I notice claw marks on the walls along with...oversized scales? 

Chills run up and down my body as I continue walking deeper and deeper into the cave. I notice piles of bones stacked around the caves perimeter. My stomach flips and I quickly look away, dread clawing at my throat once more. What have I gotten myself into now? 

I continue walking towards the back of the cave until I reach a large lake filled with crystal clear water. The sight of the water makes me notice my dry throat and mouth and I quickly rush forwards to hydrate myself. The water is cool as I greedily gulp it down. After a while, I sit back on my hind legs with a satisfied sigh. I don’t remember the last time I had such clean and delicious water. Suddenly, my ears lift in alarm as I hear the sound of flapping wings slowly making their way closer. My eyes widen and I hesitantly make my way back to the front of the cave just in time to see a large gold and black dragon land in the clearing just outside. My breath hitches in terror as it turns to me. Hands shaking along with the rest of my body, I stare up at the magnificent beast before suddenly noticing something. It’s eyes are golden. I blink in shock as blue flames surround it and, with a bright flash of similar blue light, it disappears. In its place is the golden eyed man, only now I can get a better look at his features.

He has golden hair to match his eyes, a slender face, pointed chin, and black tipped horns on the side of his head. He’s wearing the same cloak as earlier, but his hood is down. He smiles at me softly, hands raised in surrender.

“Don’t freak out, kid,” the man says taking slow, cautious steps towards me. I don’t run, still to shocked at this turn of events. I look up at the man as he stands in front of me. He actually looks a little worried. I finally speak up.

“You’re a dragon?” I ask softly. The man soft smile grows a little wider.

“Yep!” he says lowering his hands before suddenly thrusting one in between us. “The name’s Bill Cipher!” I hesitantly grip his hand and give it a small shake.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Cipher,” I reply quietly. “I’m Dipper Pines.”

“Just Bill is fine, kid,” the man - Bill - replys taking his hand back and letting it hang at his side. “And Dipper? Kind of a strange name you got there.” I flush and look to the side.

“Its, uh, just a nickname. Gideon wouldn’t let me go by my real name,” I mumble, thinking of all the times I’ve been called less than worthy of a human name. I don’t notice Bill’s concerned frown before he suddenly smiles.

“Well then what if I come up with a new nickname for you! Maybe you’ll like this one better,” he suggests. I look back up at him and give him a small unsure smile.  
“I guess it couldn’t hurt,” I say curiously. Bill looks around, hand on his chin and humming as he thinks. Suddenly his eyes light up and his contemplative frown turns into a wide smile. “How about I call you Pinetree!” I blink and raise an eyebrow.

“Pinetree?” I ask. “Why Pinetree?”

“Well, you said your last name is Pines so I just thought, eh, why not?”

I look up at the strange man. The man who turns out to actually be a dragon. The dragon who could have left me to fend for myself but instead became my savior. I give him a genuine smile.

“I love it,” I say honestly. Bill’s wide smile softens.

“Good,” he says happily. “Now let’s get you inside. I’ll show you around!”


	4. Tour of a Dragon’s Cave

I lead the young cervitaur inside my cave and towards the small room I use for my more human needs.

“This is where I keep all the stuff I need for my human form,” I say gesturing around the room. I glance back and see a look of wonder on Pinetree’s face and smile. “You’ll be staying in here for as long as you need.” Pinetree faces me, eyes wide and filled with shock and glee.

“R-really?” he asks softly. I smile at him and nod. I notice his tail is wagging happily behind him before he suddenly rushes forwards and wraps his arms around me in a hug. “Thank you so much!” A small blush coats my cheeks as I gaze down at the cervitaur’s greasy brown hair.

“N-no problem, kid,” I say awkwardly. Pinetree stiffens before quickly pulling away, avoiding eye contact as his cheeks bloom with color. I smirk and ruffle his hair. “Come on. I can take you to a little pond where you can take a bath and clean up.” Pinetree looks up at me as I walk out of the room, following me without hesitation. I lead him out of the cave and deeper into the woods. As we walk, I notice Pinetree seems tense and jumpy. I stop and turn towards him. “You alright?” He jumps before giving me a sheepish smile.

“I-I, yeah I’m okay,” he stutters. I notice his face is pale and his hands are shaking as his eyes frantically dart from side to side. Furrowing my eyebrows in confusion, I open my mouth to speak before he interrupts me. “C-can we j-just hurry, p-please?” He looks up at me, eyes watery and terrified.

“Yeah,” I say slowly, still confused. I turn back and start walking forwards once more, hearing Dipper walking close behind me. I look to the left as a rustle in the foliage catches my attention. I jump as something grabs my right arm, holding it tightly. Looking over, I realize it’s Pinetree. He looks like he’s about to cry and he’s trembling as he stares blankly into space, small whimpers spilling from his lips. “Pine-” I’m cut off as something jumps out of the bush, causing Dipper to scream and bury his face in my arm. I look over and see a little rabbit standing on it’s hind legs, sniffing the air. “Pinetree, it’s just a little rabbit,” I say to the softly sobbing cervitaur. Dipper looks up at the rabbit, his face reddening at the realization that it really is just a rabbit.

“O-oh,” he sniffles quietly as small, crystal tears flow down his red cheeks. I turn and face him, gently removing my arm from his grasp. He glances up at me before quickly looking away, ears lowered in embarrassment. I gently tilt his head up to look at me.

“It’s alright, kid,” I say softly. Dipper looks up at me and I give him a gentle smile. I use my thumb and wipe away the remaining tears, smirking as his cheeks get even redder.

“Sorry,” He whispers, rubbing his arm nervously, once more avoiding eye contact. I chuckle quietly.

“It’s no problem, Pinetree,” I whisper. I perk up as I have an idea, a mischievous smile adorning my face. “How about I hold your hand?” Without waiting for a response, I grab his hand and intertwine our fingers. I turn back and continue leading us towards the pond once more, ignoring Dipper’s embarrassed sputtering.

Once we finally make it to the pond, I drop Dipper’s hand, immediately missing the warmth, but quickly brush off the feeling. I run to the edge of the pond, a wide smile on my face.

“Okay!” I say clapping my hands together. I laugh as I see a few birds fly away. I turn back to Pinetree, smile still wide. “The water is pretty shallow, just don’t go too far out. There is no small decline, just a sudden drop, alright?” Dipper nods and walks up beside me, looking out at the water in awe. I walk over to the tree line and sit down, leaning against a tree. I snap my fingers and, in a flash of cerulean blue flames, a book materializes in my hands. “I’ll be over here reading. Come and get me when you’re ready to go!” I yell to the cervitaur as he curiously walks into the water, shoulders tensing slightly. 

“Okay!” he yells back taking hesitant steps forwards. I watch him walk into the water for a little while longer before looking down and opening my book, a small smile on my face. I quickly let it drop, internally chastising myself. 

‘No falling for a cervitaur, Bill,’ I tell myself. I sigh and let my eye skim over the open page as I begin to read.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the update is so late! I didnt have a computer to update on *sheepishly rubs neck* Anyways, I hope you all like the update!


	5. A Mermaid?

After Bill warns me about the drop off and starts reading a book, I start to walk around the shore, my hooves in the shallow water. I smile as I notice small tadpoles swimming around my hooves, giggling as they quickly dart away with each step. I continue walking around the small pond, enjoying the ability to freely explore somewhere on my own for once. My ears lower slightly as I end up thinking of my past, but I quickly shake the depressing thoughts away. Suddenly, I fall forwards, flailing my arms with a gasp. I land roughly in the water, chest down. I groan before freezing when I hear a giggle. I sit up, quickly looking from side to side before I see something sticking up in the water. I squint before the shape suddenly disappears. I stare at the spot a little while longer before shaking my head and standing back up, writing it off as my imagination.

Looking back at my partially soaked fur, I sigh and decide to go ahead and wash off. I hesitate a moment before steeling myself and stepping deeper into the cool water. When the water reaches my elbows, I start running my fingers through my fur, ruffling it and smoothing it down. I take a deep breath and pinch my nose before ducking under the water, using my other hand to ruffle my hair. I stand back up and gasp for breath, panting quietly and wiping the water from my eyes. Shaking my head, I try to get the water out of my ears when I feel something brush against my hind legs. I yelp with a startled jump and look around at the water’s surface, trying my hardest to see through the murky water. Suddenly, something splashes in front of me, rising out of the water. I scramble back, tripping over my hind legs and end up sitting down in the water.

“Hi there!” a feminine voice says cheerily. I look back in front of me and come face to face with a female. She has brunette hair and is smiling widely. I notice her hair goes down to her lower back and she honestly looks a surprising amount like me. She’s wearing what looks like a bra made out of seashells and I try my hardest to keep from looking away from her face. She looks really familiar for some reason but I’m sure I’ve never met her before…. I blink as I notice I still haven’t responded.

“H-hey,” I say timimdly. The girl’s smile gets even wider. Despite how big it is, I find it surprisingly warm and comfortable. Why does it look so familiar?

“I’m Mabel! I haven’t seen you before, so I decided to come and introduce myself!” the girl, Mabel, says happily. I smile and laugh.

“Nice to meet you, Mabel. I’m Dipper,” I say softly. I get a little distracted as I try to think of where I could have met her before.I faintly notice Mabel tilt her head to the side in question.

“Dipper? That’s such a cool name!” she beams and I give her a shaky smile.

“I-I guess,” I reply shakily, snapping out of my reprieve as memories of my ‘name’ being yelled at me while I writhe in pain flood my mind. She seems to notice my shaky answer.

“What’s wrong? Did I say something offensive?” She asks innocently. My smile grows a little wider at her concern.

“No, I just don’t really have good memories with my name,” I say softly, looking down in the water. My eyes widen as I see a bright pink tail connected to her lower body. “Y-you’re a mermaid?!” That rules out seeing her at a show. Maybe it was before I was with Gideon…? She giggles and I flush slightly in embarrassment.

“You just now noticed?” she asks teasingly. My ears lower in embarrassment and I cross my arms. She splashes me with the tip of her tail causing me to sputter in indignation. I smirk playfully and reach down to splash her back. She laughs warmly and splashes back, thus starting a splash war.

After a little while, we both tire ourselves out, laughing so much. I smile at her and open my mouth to speak before I realize there’s another voice chuckling along with us. Looking back at the shore, I notice Bill standing there with a sincere and amused smile on his face. I flush and Mabel soon notices him as well. She waves excitedly.

“Hi Mr. Cipher!” she says, her ever present cheer still showing. Bill gives a small wave back and Mabel and I make our way closer to the shore, my ears still lowered. Once we’re close enough to the shore, Bill speaks up.

“Hello Shooting Star,” He says politely. My ears twitch at his tone. He sounds so different. He gestures towards me. “I see you’ve met Pinetree.” Mabel nods excitedly, still smiling.

“I have and must I say he’s so awesome! He’s just like-” she suddenly cuts herself off and, for once, her ever present smile falls. I watch as her eyes fill with a depressed distance before she shakes her head and gives us both a shaky smile. I notice Bill’s polite facial expression falls into something softer, warmer.

“I apologize for bringing up bad memories, Shooting Star,” he murmurs sincerely. Mabel just blows a raspberry and waves her hands, her eyes still a little distant.

“I know you didn’t mean to Mr. Cipher, “ she says, voice slightly subdued. Acting on instinct, I grab her hand and give it a comforting squeeze. She quickly looks over at me, as does Bill, surprise written on both of their faces. I smile at her and, after a second, she smiles back. She gently squeezes my hand back. “Thanks,” she whispers.

“No problem,” I say softly, “I may have just met you, but it doesn’t look right when you’re not smiling.” I give her a soft smile. We both drop each other’s hands and I look back at Bill. “I’m ready to go if you are, Bill.” Bill blinks, seemingly coming out of a trance before smiling at me and nodding.

“Alright,” he says, a more genuine smile flitting across his face. He reaches out his hand and I take it without hesitation. He helps me out of the water and whispers a little spell. Before I can ask what spell he used, a warm breeze flows around me, quickly drying me off. I smile at him as I absentmindedly feel my now-dry coat.

“Thanks,” I say, smiling brightly at him.

“No problem!” He says cheerfully. He grabs my hands and starts leading us back into the forest. Before we enter the treeline, we both turn and wave bye to Mabel, who waves back before diving under the water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY ABOUT NOT UPDATING!!!  
> I don't actually have a computer to work on this story, but I have a bunch of the chapters laid out ahead of time with no way to post them! *sobs* PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!!!  
> On another note, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!


	6. Bad Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Longer Chapter!  
> We get a glimpse of Dip's past!

Once we make our way back to the cave, (“Don’t worry Pinetree, I’ll protect you from those evil rabbits!” “Shut up, Bill.”) we both walk into the smaller room where Bill provides for his human form. He looks around the room, a thoughtful frown on his face.

“I don’t have a bed in here, because I don’t sleep in my human form,” he mutters, frown deepening. I look over at him before walking in front of him and facing him.

“Don’t worry about it,” I say smiling, “I’ll be fine. I’m use to sleeping in worse conditions than this.” I walk over and lay in the far corner, my hooves tucked under me. “I’m just glad that it’s at least warm.” Bill looks at me and I can see clear concern in his eye. 

“What do you mean you’re used to worse conditions?” he asks, heading over towards me he sits beside me and I lean my upper torso against the wall as thoughts of the past flit into my mind.

“I was kept in a metal cage and forced to sleep on the cold ground. No blankets, pillows, nothing. At least here the ground is warmer,” I say quietly, keeping my eyes on the far wall. I yawn a bit and rub my eyes.

“Maybe I can go into town tomorrow and get you a few pillows and a blanket,” Bill mutters quietly. I look over at him, with a small smile. 

“You don’t have to, Bill. I’ll be fine,” I say hesitantly. I’m still a bit wary of the dragon even if feel like I can mostly trust him. I’ve learned you can never trust anyone completely. I look down at the ground as my thoughts take a dark turn. Images of screaming in pain and crying out for help flash through my mind rapidly, mixing with memories of getting captured and taken away from my family. I jump when Bill places a hand on my shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts. I blush and look away. “S-sorry,” I mutter, realizing I must have spaced out. Bill just gives me a gentle, concerned smile.

“Pinetree, you realize I’m here if you ever need to talk, right?” he says gently.

 

‘“Mason, you realize I’m here if you ever want to talk to me,” a white haired human says, smiling at me. My heart warms at his smile and I grin back. 

“Of course, Gid,” I reply as he gently brushes my arm. “I’d tell you anything.”’

 

I jerk away from Bill’s gentle touch with a gasp. I slam back against the wall as my hands start to shake. Bill’s eye widens in shock, looking over my trembling form. I flinch back as he lifts his hand towards me again.

“Pinetree, what-”

“I-I’m fine!” I say, wincing as I end up yelling. I look away from him, crossing my arms to hide how badly my hands are shaking. “S-sorry, I just-”

“It’s alright, kid,” Bill says, voice still gentle. I look over at him quickly, eyes widening a little in shock. “We’ve all got secrets we hold close to our hearts, Pinetree.” He stands up and I follow him with my eyes as he heads to the door. He stops in the doorway and leans back in slightly. “Goodnight, Pinetree.” He leaves.

“Goodnight,” I whisper after him, unsure if he could actually hear me. When there’s no reply, I roll onto my back and lay down, looking at the ceiling. Why did I have to remember that? Why did I have to remember the time when I thought Gideon loved me? I sigh and roll onto my side, facing the wall. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to believe him. A human and a cervitaur, in love? Please. Those types of things belong in a fairy tale, and I know for a fact that my life is far from a fairy tale. I yawn and cradle my head in my arms, curling in on myself slightly. My eyes droop and I let them slide close, mind stuck in the past. I try to think of my family, but all I gather are images of three different monsters, their faces blurry. I sigh quietly again as I feel myself start to drift off. I was stupid for believing Gideon; I’m not making the same mistake now, am I?

 

‘“Come on, bro-bro!” A familiar female voice calls, “Gargruncle ____ is getting impatient!” I laugh and run through the forest towards a small shack with a small pond outside.

“I’m coming _____!” I call back. I quickly rush inside, a familiar scent wafting over me as I make my way into the Shack. I watch as my sister swims in through the little river running through out the house. We both make our way to the kitchen where a large, stone gargoyle man is standing. His stance shows his annoyance. 

“What were you doing out there, Mason?” the gargoyle asks angrily. I give him a sheepish glance and look down at the ground in shame.

“I was just visiting my boyfriend,” I mumble quietly. My sister, _____, places a hand on my back hoof to give me courage as Gargruncle ____ fumes.

“How many times have I told you! Gideon is not to be trusted! That little weasel would sell you to the highest bidder and sell the rest of us too!” Gargruncle ____ spits. I flinch back at his tone, my ears lowering. I jump slightly as a six toed paw lands gently on my shoulder.

“____,” the sphinx beside me says, “Calm down. You know we can trust Mason to keep our dwelling a secret.” I look up at the sphinx with a smile, barely even realizing his face is a blur. I hear Gargruncle ____ mumble before he sighs.

“____, I just don’t want him getting hurt,” Gargruncle ____ mutters. I give him a hesitant smile.

“____, Gideon won’t hurt me,” I say softly. “He loves me and I love him.” 

“I sure do love you, Mason.” 

All four of us look over, eyes widening in surprise as Gideon walks into the room. I walk in front of everyone, closer to him with ears perked in alert.

“Gideon?” I ask incredulously. “H-how did you-”

“Find you?” Gideon finishes. He laughs and walks closer, gently cupping my cheeks in his pudgy hands. “It was easy, dear. All I had to do was follow you, and now,” his hand suddenly grips my hair tightly, yanking me down and causing me to yelp in pain. I freeze as something metal is pressed against my temple. “Now, I can make a good amount of money.”

My Grunkles growl before my sister suddenly screams as a large group of men suddenly rush in from all sides. I watch in terror as my Great Uncle ____ is hit with a tranquilizer dart, falling unconscious almost instantly. Gargruncle ____ tries to rush over, but is somehow held back by what look like steel cables. I struggle as my sister is pulled out of the water, gasping for breath before she is thrown in a tank on wheels. The tank is sealed shut before being rolled outside, my sister banging helplessly on the glass. My eyes fill with tears as I glance up at my boyfriend, Gideon.

“W-why,” I whimper. The hand in my hair tighters and the gun is pressed harder against my skull. I see Gideon’s wide smile out of the corner of my eyes. “I-I th-thought-” Gideon cuts me off with a cruel laugh.

“You thought I loved you?” He sneers. I whimper as he turns my face towards him. “Why would I love you, a monstrous creature? The only thing you’re good for is making money. And that’s exactly what you’re going to do for me if you ever want to see your family again.” I whimper and struggle weakly as I’m dragged out of the house. The last thing I remember is getting a glimpse of my family being forced into cages before I’m hit over the head, knocking me unconscious.


	7. Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe...hey, guysss....hehehe. Been a while, huh? So...uh...I've been a bit...busy, so...yeah. Don't kill me, but...I'm not sure I'm gonna continue this...I mean, is anyone even reading this? I don't understand why you would be, I know I suck at writing so...I'll just stop rambling, but...I have a few more chapters written already if anyone actually wants me to post them...don't know why you would though...enjoy....

I drowsily blink my eye open. I sit up and look around, not understanding what woke me up. Suddenly I hear a terrified whimper sound quietly from the small cave Pinetree resides in. I stand in alarm, quickly changing into my humanoid form and running inside. I turn towards the corner Pinetree is sleeping in and see him writhing on the floor, trembling and gasping. Eye widening in shock, I quickly rush over, kneeling beside him. I realize he’s quietly saying something and pause, listening. 

“I’m sorry!” He whimpers, eyes clenched shut. I notice tears running down his cheeks; he’s crying in his sleep. “Please! I didn’t want you to- I didn’t mean for you to-” He cuts himself off with a sob before continuing. “Trust no one. T-trust n-n-no one. Trust-!” he gasps for air and starts hyperventilating, kicking his hooves in the air frantically. I’ve heard enough.

“Pinetree,” I whisper. I gently grab his shoulder, hesitantly shaking it. “Kid, wake up.” I shake his shoulder again, almost getting hit with a stray hoof. “Come on,” I mutter. Pinetree whimpers again and the broken sound pierces my heart. Getting desperate, I grip both of his arms tightly. “PINETREE!” I yell. His eyes fly open and he gasps as though he was drowning.  
“MABEL!” he screams. We both lay there, Pinetree trembling violently, as we look straight into eachother’s eyes. Finally, he speaks. “B-Bill?” He asks, voice small and broken. I let go of his arms, confusion sitting in the forefront of my mind. Why did he call out for Shooting Star?

“Are you okay, Pinetree?” I ask softly, burying my suspicions for now. Pinetree sniffs quietly and sits up, wrapping his arms around his torso. He shrugs, looking at the ground. I sigh and scoot closer to him. When our arms brush slightly, I notice him tense and scoot a little farther away. “Did you have a nightmare?” Pinetree hesitates before nodding his head slowly. “Do you want to talk about it?” After a second, he finally speaks.

“I don’t remember,” he whispers. I look over at him, my confusion growing.

“You don’t remember what?” I ask softly. Pinetree shakes his head.

“Trust no one,” he whispers, seemingly not meaning to be heard. He looks up at me, eyes shining with despair. “I can’t trust you. I can’t trust anyone.” My eye widens a bit in shock.   
That phrase….did he know…?

“Pinetree?” I ask again. Suddenly he latches onto me, hugging me tightly. His face is buried in my shoulder and I hear him sob loudly, still shaking violently. 

“I can’t remember,” he gasps. “M-my family. I, I can’t-” he sobs again and I wrap my arms around him. “Can’t trust, d-don’t t-t-trust-. Th-they’re gone-. My fault, m-my fault. C-caged, g-gone. G-Gideon, h-h-he c-c-captured-d-” From then on out Pinetree just sobs into my shoulder, still shaking. I gently run my hand through his hair, trying to soothe him and calm him down. 

“Pinetree, Pinetree, breathe. I need you to breathe,” I whisper soothingly.

“C-can’t-” he gasps. I shush him and hold him a little tighter.

“Just follow my lead. Breathe in, breathe out,” I say softly, doing the motions myself. I feel Pinetree try to copy me, but he exhales a little early and whines. “It’s okay, just try again. In, out. In, out.” After doing these exercises for a few minutes, Pinetree finally calms down a little, his sobs turning to small hiccups and his shaking becoming a small tremble. I continue running my hand through his hair. “You good now, Pinetree.” he nods against my shoulder, not moving away. “Do you want me to stay here with you?” 

“Please,” he whispers, voice hoarse. 

“Alright,” I say softly. I lay down on the floor beside the cervitaur, Still holding his upper torso to my chest. “Let’s try and get a little more sleep, okay? We can talk about your nightmare in the morning.” 

“Okay,” he replies quietly. From then on we sit in silence until Pinetree’s breathing gets slower, signalling that he’s asleep. I lean back against the wall, still holding him close to me. I gently lean his head back and look into his face, gazing at his calm expression as questions fill my mind once more.

Why did he call out for Shooting Star? And by her real name, nonetheless; earlier today was the first day he met her, wasn’t it? And that phrase….

“Trust no one,” I whisper aloud to myself. I gently lay Dipper back down and stand up, stretching my arms above my head. I head towards the exit, but hesitate. I look back at Pinetree and sigh before snapping my fingers, wincing as I use my magic to materialize a pen and writing pad. I write down a small note explaining where I went and stick it to my mirror. I exit the cave and head straight to the lake. I need to hear Shooting Star’s story before I jump to anymore conclusions….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...sorry for the notes at the beginning...ignore them....


	8. "Mason…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your heartwarming comments. I really, truly appreciate every comment or kudos I get. 
> 
> I want to apologize for taking as long as I always do with chapters. I've recently realized that...well, I'm growing up and, sadly can't write as much as I usually can. I don't have long until I have to go to college a and, truthfully? I'm terrified, but oh well. 
> 
> I will do my best to update as much as possible! If anyone has suggestions or anything, such as just wanting to talk or needing to vent to a random internet person, I'll be here! Check my profile summary for where to reach me! <3

I wake up slowly, parting my lips with a soft yawn as my eyes gently flutter open. I immediately notice Bill is missing. I sigh quietly in a strange sense of disappointment before shaking my head with a frown. No, I can’t get attached, I think to myself as I stand. I go to walk out of the room when a small yellow piece of paper hanging from the mirror catches my eye. I walk over to it, taking it off the mirror to read.

 

I had to go into town today so I went ahead and left early.  
Bill 

 

I sigh again, and close my eyes for a moment, memories of last nights events, rushing to the forefront of my mind. I wince as I remember how pathetically I sobbed as I clung onto him. I furrow my brows as I remember asking him to stay with me as well. I blush and open my eyes, clutching onto the note tightly as I walk out of the room. I head to the cave’s opening and step into the grass, taking a deep breath before I lean down and begin to graze. After a moment, I freeze in place, feeling someone’s eyes on me. I stand tall, cursing the fact that my antlers haven’t grown in yet as I glance around the clearing, searching for any signs of danger. After a moment, I let my guard down and go back to eating. Big mistake.

A low growl sounds from my left and before I can react, I’m tackled to the ground. I scream in terror as I’m pushed onto my side, frantically kicking my hooves. I hear a yelp as my back hoof connects with a furry chest. I quickly stand and face my opponent, only to come face to face with an orange wolf. I look into it’s green eyes and notice it’s eyes look strange, a line of red separating the black pupils from the iris. My eyes widen slightly in shock as I realize what type of wolf this is. It’s a-

I quickly turn and run into the forest as the werewolf lunges at me once more, a hungry snarl falling from it’s blood stained lips. I run as fast as I can, no clue at all where I’m going as my mind screams at me. Danger, it yells as growls echo behind me, run faster! I heed my mind's advice and push myself to go faster. I look back to see if I’m still being chased only to trip on my own hooves, falling forwards with a startled gasp. I grunt as I collide with the ground, trying to scramble back up only for a weight to push me back down harshly, claws sinking into my pelt. My breath hitches and tears spill down my cheeks as I start to hyperventilate.

This is it, I think, I’m going to die. I feel warm breath ghost across my back and clench my eyes shut, a sob escaping my lips. I whimper in terror as the breath gets hotter, the wolf’s snout moving closer to my skin. Suddenly, I hear another growl and the wolf is knocked off of me. I hesitantly open my eyes and look over my shoulder; my eyes widen in shock at the sight I’m greeted with.

Another orange wolf has tackled the first wolf to the ground, growling and snarling in it’s face. The first wolf tries to snarl back, snapping in the other wolf’s face only getting a lower growl in return. The second wolf, still pinning the first to the ground, lifts it’s head and howls for a moment. A few seconds later, three more wolves walk into the clearing, all of them the same dark orange as the first two. The biggest one trots over to the pinned wolf who is still snarling and snapping at everyone. The largest one growls fiercely and snaps in the smaller one’s face, causing it to flinch back with a surprisingly small whimper. The large wolf barks and the second largest wolf gets off of the smallest wolf, backing away and walking over to me. I cower back in fear, still terrified. There’s a puff of orange smoke before a girl with long red hair and kind green eyes is kneeling in front of me. My cheeks erupt into a deep flush as I realize she’s naked. I quickly avert my eyes just in time to see the other four wolves walking away together. I hear a chuckle come from in front of me and hesitantly look back at the smiling female.

“Are you alright?” she asks softly. I shakily nod and hear her hum as she looks over me. Her eyes widen as her eyes fall on the claw marks in my pelt. She glares at them as though they personally offend her. With a quiet ‘tch’ she stands up and stretches, causing my flush to deepen even more as I quickly look away. I hear her laugh loudly before a hand lands on my shoulder lands. I look back over, keeping my eyes on her face. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up. I know someone who can patch up those wounds for ya.” I hesitantly stand, wincing slightly in pain.

“I-I’ll be f-f-fine,” I stutter softly. The girl frowns at me and shakes her head.

“No way dude,” she replies. “You’ve gotta come with me and get patched up before they get infected.” Her eyes soften as she looks over my shaking form. “Don’t worry, I won’t take you anywhere dangerous. We’re just going to a little shack a little ways in these woods. The people who live there are really nice and wouldn’t hurt a fly.” I hesitantly look up into her eyes before nodding.

“Alright,” I say softly. “Lead the way.” She smiles at me and starts to walk away, me following close behind. After a few minutes of walking in silence, she speaks up.

“By the way, my name's Wendy Corduroy. What’s yours?” she asks, not looking back. My ears perk up when she speaks before lowering again.

"I-it’s Dipper,” I answer quietly. She hums again.

"Well then Dipper, it’s nice to meet you, though I wish we had met under better circumstances,” she jokes. I chuckle, a small smile surfacing.

"Yeah,” I answer back. She looks back at me before looking forwards again.

"By the way, I’ve never seen you around here before,” she says trailing off. My ears lower again and I look down.

"Um, y-yeah. I was rescued by a friend,” I say softly.

"Rescued?” Wendy questions. I don’t respond as a somehow familiar scent invades my senses. It almost smells like- “Oh, looks like we’re here!” I look up at her statement, eyes widening at the sight of a familiar shack. The sloped roof and shoddy workmanship, the old couch on the porch and the strange totem pole in the yard. My eyes fill with tears, blurring my vision.

"Dipper?” Wendy questions, but she sounds so far away. Tears beginning to flow down my cheeks, I rush forwards and quickly push open the door to the shack. My heart beat rings in my ears as a headache pounds at my skull, but I quickly run inside. I vaguely notice my vision going black around the edges as I’m overwhelmed with familiar scents and sights.

It’s all just how I remember, I think frantically. Everything is still here, I think, running to where I remember the kitchen being. Does that mean-

I stop in my tracks as I find myself facing a familiar looming figure. His stone skin is just how I remember it looking, his glowing yellow eyes just as piercing. A small sob escapes me and I fall to the ground as they turn towards me, widening in shock. The cups he was holding drops t the ground and shatters as we stare at each other. Finally he speaks, his voice just as gruff as I remember.

"Mason…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I haven't actually read this through since I last posted and this, including the upcoming chapter made me cry...i wish you all luck with the feels...

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoy! I've had this idea stuck in my mind for a while and decided, well, why not? Please leave comments and kudos! :3


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